Thursday, February 26, 2009

This week I've brought you a time-consuming and spicy gumbo and a calorie-laden dessert, so I thought I should throw in something that is lighter, healthier and quick to cook.

This week my Healthy Eating column over at HealthNews features a seared scallop salad. It is very easy to make and shook me out of my winter stew/soup rut. Thought you might like to try it out as well.

In large bowl, toss the drained beans with cheese, lemon juice, zest, basil, 3 tablespoons oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside. In a skillet, heat remaining tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Add scallops to skillet, sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper and cook 4-5 minutes, turning once. Make sure the scallops have turned opaque throughout before taking off the heat.

Toss the mesclun or greens with the bean mixture and arrange of 4 dinner plates. Top with the scallops and sprinkle with a bit of extra parmesan cheese.

*Scallops vary in size and thickness. If you find that you have bought larger scallops (10-12 scallops per pound rather than 20-25), then cut the scallops in half through the center to make two round scallops.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Well, not really 452, but close. Bread pudding is probably our favorite dessert. Over the years, Brilliant Daughter and I have experimented with the basic recipe coming up with versions featuring berries, orange-almond, maple-pecan, chocolate, and our favorite: chai-spiced bread pudding. There are others, but I won't begin to bore you. Suffice it to say, we eat this for dessert, for breakfast, for snack, for no reason at all.

Bread pudding is a very easy thing to make. Pop it in the oven when you sit down to dinner and you have a nice warm dessert to finish off the day. Ingredients are basic, and because it lends itself to creativity (see above paragraph), you can use pretty much anything you have in the pantry. Dried or fresh fruit, nuts of any kind, chocolate, coconut, and an array of spices. You can buy day-old bread from your local bakery, buy a fresh loaf a day or two ahead, or in a pinch, you can buy fresh bread, cut it into pieces and lay it out on a cookie sheet to dry up a bit. I like to use challah, but we have used sourdough, sweet French, brioche bread, and a few others. You really need to buy whole loaves, not the pre-sliced Wonder bread variety.

For our Mardi Gras dinner, I wanted bread pudding. Initially I thought about making the traditional version, but wanted something a bit lighter to end the meal. I opted for Pear-Toasted Almond Bread pudding, with pear ice cream, topped with caramel sauce.

I have been sitting on a pear ice cream recipe for some time, just waiting for the right time. In all fairness, something went a bit awry. I'm not sure if it was because my ice cream bowl had not been in the freezer long enough or if I did not cook the egg mixture until it was the correct thickness, but the ice cream had more ice crystals in it than I would have liked and took much longer to freeze than normal. The flavor, however, was tremendous—strong and smooth, but light. A very good complement to the bread pudding.

Brilliant Daughter came over to help with the final dinner preparations and to make the bread pudding. Without fail, this is the one dish where the mother-daughter collaboration always hits a home run. This time she decided to brown the butter rather than just melting it, adding a slightly nuttier taste to the pudding. You can omit this step, and just use melted butter, but going the extra distance works well. I purchased toasted sliced almonds from Trader Joe's, but you can certainly toast your own. You could also chop up whole almonds and toast them, as well. The bit of crunch of the almonds, along with the softness of the pears works well with the texture of the bread pudding.

To top the bread pudding and ice cream, I opted for a caramel sauce. Pulling out one of my favorite dessert cookbooks, Emily Luchetti's A Passion for Desserts, I found the perfect caramel sauce. This chef (of Stars and Farallon restaurants) and author captured my heart when she inscribed my copy with the words "Eat dessert first." My kinda gal. Needless to say, the caramel sauce, while basic, is delicious. I actually tasted it by the spoonful, repeatedly, to make sure it was alright ; ) It made the perfect finishing touch for the dessert. Our culinary school guest plated the desserts so I could catch a few photographs, and we served a gravy boat of extra sauce for those in need (namely: me).

RECIPESPear Ice Cream2 ½ cups pear nectar (100% juice only)6 large egg yolks¾ cup sugar2/3 cup heavy creamBring pear juice to a simmer in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, heat yolks and sugar in a large metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, whisking constantly until thickened. Slowly whisk in pear juice. Quick-chill by setting bowl in an ice bath and stirring occasionally until cold. Whisk in cream. Freeze in ice cream maker, then transfer to air-tight container and put in freezer to harden.

*The pudding can be cooked in a 9x13 pan, two square or two round pans, two loaf pans, or individual ramekins. I chose to do 6 individual ramekins and 1 oval pan. The ramekins cooked in 15 minutes, the larger pan in 70. A full 9x12 will take 75+ minutes.

Caramel Sauce1 ½ cups white sugar½ cup water1 cup heavy whipping cream3 tablespoons unsalted butterIn medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and water and cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Brush the insides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to eliminate any sugar sticking to the sides. Increase heat to high and cook, without stirring, until the sugar is amber colored – about 8-10 minutes. Wearing oven mitts, slowly add ¼ cup of cream. Be careful, as the caramel with sputter as the cream is added. Using a wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula, stir cream into sugar. Slowly add remaining cream. Stir until combined. Cool 5 minutes and then whisk in the butter. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until use Can be reheated in a double boiler or microwave.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Our friends Jen and Jason were joining us for Sunday dinner and I wanted to do something special. Given that it is time for Mardi Gras celebrations, I thought the menu should reflect Creole or Cajun cooking from NOLA.

Jen and Jason are foodies. They both have blogs; Jen has Eating Plum, while Jason writes Cooking For My Wife. (Don't ya love newlyweds?) Jen worked for FoodBuzz before heading off to culinary school. She has been enrolled in the Tante Marie's Cooking School in San Francisco since last September, slaving away over mirapoix, roux, confit and a million other techniques and dishes. This means I have to challenge myself to make something a little different, something a little better, something that will please me, my family, and our guests.

I was fortunate enough to go to New Orleans the year before Hurricane Katrina hit the southern coast and devastated the city. While there, we walked the French Quarter, ate in little holes-in the-wall as well as better-known establishments, and I took a cooking course from Chiqui Collier at the New Orleans Cooking Experience.

It may have been raining outside, but it was pure sunshine inside The House on Bayou Road. Four home chefs, as well as a chef-in-training, were experiencing the joy and happiness elicited by Creole and Cajun food. Located in a renovated French-style plantation house that also serves as a B&B, the cooking school is a down-home low-key series of classes to teach us Northerners how to do it right.

Although terms like jambalaya, gumbo, dirty rice, and grits are common, and foods I have eaten many times, my experiences in the kitchen with these foods had been limited to boxed Jambalaya mix found on the local Safeway shelf. Add a little smoked sausage and you have a meal in 30 minutes, which as a working mother of three was a godsend. The taste, however, is nothing like homemade and after spending time in NO, I feel that I have tortured my children for the last ten years serving them something other than the real thing.

If only I had known all those years what I was really missing, I would have run, not sauntered to Louisiana to this hands-on course. The teaching menu is based on what is in season and fresh – no frozen crawfish here. My learning experience included Oyster Pan Roast with Garlic Croustades, Sausage and Chicken Gumbo, Pecan-crusted Catfish Meuniere, and Noni’s Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce.

Our instructor, Chiqui Collier, is a NO native, learned to cook from her mother and grandma. runs a catering business, and knows how to throw a good party. (Although it seems that everyone in NO knows how to do this and needs very little excuse to do so.) Chiqui not only taught us how to cook the dishes, she showed us a few other tricks, as well as enlightening us with historical facts and food tips. In addition to the lesson, you get to eat the fruit of your labors, and sip on wine while doing all of it. Well worth the half day and money spent, I assure you.I decided to make the gumbo I learned to make on that excursion. Gumbo can be a time-consuming chore. I don't mind spending hours in the kitchen, chopping, stirring, rocking out to music, but should you want to skip much of the prep work, you can make this wonderful dish in much less time. (See Shortcut Hints below).

The biggest trick to making a gumbo is the roux. This flour-and-fat mixture must darken to the point of looking burned. It cooks and cooks, getting darker and nuttier as it goes along. Catching it past the milk chocolate point but before it burns is the key. Dark chocolate in color is what you want. Many cooks pull the roux too soon. While you will still have an excellent gumbo using a milk chocolate roux, the darker roux is more authentic. The other key is the fat you use. You can use Crisco, lard, vegetable oil, or bacon fat drippings. I didn't have quite enough bacon drippings, so I added in a bit a vegetable oil to make the full cup. Not exactly the heart-healthy thing to do, but it approximates real gumbo and besides, I write enough healthy cooking posts over at HealthNews. Sometimes I just need some old-fashioned, artery-clogging goodness.

I chose to make everything from scratch, from frying bacon (for the bacon grease), cooking the chicken (used the same pan as the bacon), chopping everything, and slow cooking the concoction. I also decided to make it a day ahead, to let the flavors meld.

Served over white rice, the gumbo was dark, full of flavor, with a little kick from the andouille and hot sauce. (For milder gumbo, use smoked sausage and omit hot sauce). It garnered good reviews from all at the table. The pictures probably don't do it justice, but that's because we all wanted to dig in and had to rush the picture-taking.

If you're thinking about celebrating Mardi Gras, this is the way to do it.

Add oil or bacon fat to heavy-bottomed 2-3 gallon soup pot. Adjust heat to high; when oil is to the smoking point, very carefully stir in flour using a wooden spoon; reduce heat to medium high. Use extreme care while stirring the roux. Continue to cook the roux, stirring constantly, making sure the roux is not sticking or burning. Stir the roux until it reaches a dark chocolate color. Carefully add vegetables, garlic, spices and approximately 1 1.2 teaspoons of salt. Stir the roux and vegetable mixture to insure than all is well combined. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat, while stirring until the vegetables are soft. Add the browned sausage and the sautéed okra and whisk in the chicken stock slowly. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for approximately 1 hour, skimming any oil or foam that rises to the top. After an hour, adjust for salt, add hot sauce and Worcestershire. Just before serving, add chicken and cook until thoroughly heated. Ladle gumbo over cooked white rice. Garnish with parsley.

Shortcut Hints: The basis for much of the stews and dishes is the trinity: celery, onion and bell pepper. All of these can be purchased in your supermarket already chopped. Instead of cooking your own chicken, you can buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and chop up the meat yourself, and the andouille sausage does not have to be browned first You can just chop and toss it in. All of this will save you considerable time.

Friday, February 20, 2009

I was jonesing for some baking today. I really felt the need to be in the kitchen churning out something sweet for the hubby and son, as well as his brother butchers. But I really didn't have time…. But chocolate sounded good…. There is that column to write…. Reese's peanut butter cups.…

You get the gist. Angel on one shoulder, devil on the other. I took over and compromised, so I wouldn't waste any more time stewing about it. I decided on something reminiscent of the peanut butter cup, but it would have to be only semi-homemade to save some time. I scrounged around in the pantry trying to figure out how to accomplish this and found a fudgy brownie mix I had bought for emergency use (mental meltdown, happy fix, sudden guests). I followed the directions for the cake-style brownies, added in ¾ cup of chunky peanut butter and used my ice cream scoop to fill up 20 cupcake liners. I wasn't making full cupcakes, so I only used one overflowing scoop per liner, which filled them about halfway. Less than 5 minutes from pantry to oven.

Because there were no time directions for this type of brownie, I set the timer for 15 minutes and waited. They ended up cooking for a total of 23 minutes at 350 degrees.

Once they were cool, I wanted to frost them with peanut butter. Of course, you can't use straight peanut butter, so I found a recipe that I thought would work well (see recipe below). I had everything on hand, and it was simple to make with my hand beater. Another 3 minutes.

Rather than spread the frosting with a knife and covering the whole top, I decided to pipe a thick swirl in the center and sprinkle with some additional peanuts. I like this look better, and it is a more polished presentation, for very little extra time. And I didn't use any fancy pastry bag or tips (although I do own both, thanks to Brilliant Daughter). I just scooped the frosting into a large Ziploc, twisted, cut off the corner, and went to swirlin. The frosting is nice and light and the old-fashioned way of knife spreading works just fine. I sprinkled on a few peanuts for added flourish, though this is strictly not necessary. Another 3 minutes.

So, for about 10 minutes of active kitchen time, I had 20 luscious choco-peanut butter cups. I'm pleased with the visual results. Flavor-wise, everyone raved. A dense chocolate base with just a hint of peanut butter, with a creamy topping and hint of crunch. Definitely filled my need for baking and for my own sweet tooth.

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in a small high-sided bowl. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream gradually and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth.

Back in June of 2007 I did a post on Gringa Carnitas. I wanted to make some real Mexican carnitas but could not find a solid recipe. So I made something approximating it, cooking it in an unconventional way and with a few unconventional ingredients like orange juice. The result was delicious and I have made it many times since that first test recipe.

Recently I tested a recipe for my Healthy Eating column, which I have dubbed Gringa Tamales. Again, it is an American version of a Mexican classic that is healthier and quicker and will appeal to many. It requires only a half-hour of prep time and half-hour of cook time and can be altered to use a variety of ingredients.

The basic recipe is a masa mixed with store-bought rotisserie chicken. But you can amp up the masa with chili powder or pureed chipotles. You could use ground beef or chicken, leftover steak, or even the Gringa Carnitas. Vegetarian? No problem. The recipe calls for cheese already, just add in some black beans, maybe some chopped bell pepper or canned chiles.

I made a batch and cooked them, and anytime someone was hungry they could microwave to reheat. You could also reheat using a steamer. We tried them topped with salsa verde, avocado crema, regular salsa, and sour cream. Because the basic version is somewhat bland in flavor (appealing to younger children), we found a combo of green or red salsa and either sour cream or avocado crema (or guacamole) to yield the most flavor.

Monday, February 16, 2009

I have not had terribly good luck with Linzer cookies over the years. They come out too thick or too crumbly, jam overflowing the sides, powdered sugar obscuring the "window" of jam in the center. But I was determined to make some for Valentine's Day for the hubby and the kids. I read a number of recipes in books, on web sites and blogs and finally came up with one that I am happy with and that conquered my problems.

The dough recipe is important and you have to be careful about not adding too much of the dry ingredients. Reminds me of making pasta – you just don't add all of the flour. This helps keep the dough together and so it won't break up while you are rolling it out.

The second item, overflowing jam, was conquered by using just a small schmear of jam. My original theory had been to put enough on so that the window had enough jam peeking through. But in doing so, once you pressed the cookies together, the jam would ooze out the sides. This time I used a baby spoon to put a small amount in the center and then used the back of the spoon to smooth it out, not getting too close to the sides. Pop the top on and it adheres easily without overflowing the sides. Then, the trick is to refill the center windows AFTER you put the powdered sugar on, which conquers the other problem.

So once you have filled the cookies, I dusted them as usual with powdered sugar. Then I took the baby spoon and put another dollop of jam in the window. Voila! Enough jam, no powdered sugar occluding the window and a very pretty (and tasty) cookie indeed.

Three other issues that came up while making these cookies: First, I did not have any raspberry jam. Raspberries are just too expensive for me to make jam out of, so I took my strawberry jam, heated it and then pureed it with the immersion (stick) blender. This made it smooth and easy to spread. Second, I did not have a small heart-shaped cutter to make the windows on the tops. I had to get creative. I tried a shot glass but it was too big. Then I found a frosting tip and used the large funnel end to cut out circles. Third, there was a fair amount of dough scraps leftover. Trying to press and re-roll did not work, as the flour from the surface made the dough too dry. But I just could not bring myself to toss the dough, so I pulled out a tart pan and pressed the pieces of dough around to make a crust. I baked it for about 20 minutes or so, and filled it with lemon curd and fresh blueberries for our Sunday dinner dessert. Waste not, want not!I was quite please with how they turned out. I took a dozen to Butcher son at work for all the butchers to enjoy, a half-dozen to Brilliant daughter's workplace for her luncheon group, and dropped off 4 for Electrician son and his girlfriend. Hubby got a plate of his own, and there were a few to spare (I made a double batch.) Rave reviews by all.

In a large mixer bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and continue to beat until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and almond extract and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine ground almonds, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture and combine on low speed until incorporated and a ball forms. You may not need to add all the dry ingredients. You don't want the dough to be too dry or it will not roll properly. Gather dough (if dough is a little wet, pull it together with floured hands) then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

On a generously floured surface, roll half of dough out to 1/8" thickness (cookies will be thin since 2 are put together). Cut out the bottoms out of this first half of the dough. Place the bottoms on a parchment- or silpat-lined cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Watch carefully after 12 minutes to make sure they do not darken too much.

For the tops: Roll out second half of dough to 1/8 inch and cut out whole hearts. Place the whole hearts on the parchment lined cookie sheet, then cut a small heart or circle out of each. Bake for 12-15 minutes, watching them carefully after the 10-minute mark.

Once cookies have cooled, heat the raspberry jam for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Spread a little jam on the bottoms, then gently press tops on. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, then fill the hole with additional jam.

Monday, February 09, 2009

Much of the food I have made lately I would consider heirloom cooking; dishes and items that harken back to the day when things were done by hand, meat was slow cooked, and the time and preparation for a meal went beyond 10 minutes. Part of this would be considered slow cooking, with some comfort food thrown in. But that is not all that defines heirloom cooking to me. Like the fact that I am using an ancient Five Roses Cookbook that was published in 1915. Passed down from my nana, this is true "heir" cooking.

I must confess that at times I am stymied by the directions in old cookbooks like these, and can be daunted by recipes with more than 10 ingredients or that take more than 3 hours, but my heart wants to be there – trying those things. I feel it is important to do so. The food itself feels healthier and at times I can, much like Carla on Top Chef, "feel the love" tucked into a dish.

I'm lucky, I work at home and my office is next to the kitchen. I can start a complicated dish and go to work, without worrying about stirring or checking the oven. It can be easily done as I pound away at the keyboard, all the while smelling the goodness flowing out of the kitchen. The other benefit of this type of cooking is that the wonderful aromas last for hours, not minutes, and permeate the house for most of the day. Makes it hard not to sneak a taste here or there.

Not all my attempts have been successes. I'm never sure what a "moderate" oven is or how big a "coffee cup" of milk is. Some of the biscuits and breadstuffs have been less than stellar; sometimes my pasta doesn't feel as light as it should. But I do keep trying.

Yesterday I made a long-braised pork dish, Smoky Pork Pappardelle, that I found in Food & Wine magazine. The recipe takes about 4 hours from start to finish, but I got the pork roast for about $2/pound, so it was worth the time. Of course, you can't spend 4 hours on the meat and use store-bought pasta, so I also spent some additional time making my own pappardelle.

I'm thinking that the secret to making a better pasta is sifting the flour first, and using about 1/3 less flour than the recipe calls for. I took my time kneading the pasta, letting it rest, and then putting it through the pasta roller. Slow and steady seems to be the approach. I hand cut the noodles, as my pasta maker doesn't have a wide enough roller, but my granny had taught me how to do this years ago, and really is easy.

The smoky pork was a hit with the family, but I have to say that we could not taste the smoky flavor at all, despite using a good alderwood smoked salt, as directed. Nonetheless, the meat shredded easily, and paired nicely with the wide noodles. The addition of the apple and honey gave the sauce a slightly sweeter taste, and despite my concern about this, didn't extract a negative comment from any of the hearty eaters at my Sunday table.

As a bonus, I got to use my new Adorama Photo Studio Kit for the first time, a holiday gift from my dear friend Tea. It's going to take some experimentation, as instructions were not included. But dutiful daughter and I futzed around with it, taking some experimental shots, and then she patiently showed me how to change out the background, should I be so inclined. I think I'll be inclined another day…..

Sorry to have been so remiss in posting to this blog. I overextended myself, workwise, and something had to give. Unfortunately it was Eating Suburbia. But I've missed it. I need to get back to it. Not that I haven't been writing, mind you. I've been a very busy bee since we last met.

As editor for Sweet Digs Bay Area, a real estate blog, I wrote daily editorial posts, as well as 3-7 weekly neighborhood posts. My more recent gig is as editor for HealthNews.com, an international health news web site, where I assign, edit and upload stories, as well as writing a weekly "Health Eating" column.

The column has kept me busy testing recipes; some good, some bad (which never made it into the column). I've learned an enormous amount about antioxidants, superfoods, vitamins, calorie counts, and a million other things I never gave enough thought to. Here is some light reading for you, as well as some great recipes:

About Me

I live the life of a typical soccer mom in the suburbs with my husband, three children, and two cats. Working for a travel publisher for 12 years, I began visiting destinations through food, rather than by airplane. I learned about Thailand, India, Spain, and a dozen other countries through their cuisines. And that food remains a staple in my kitchen. My children grew up on curries, Provencal lamb dishes, moles, and the occasional meatloaf (on request). I am now taking the love of food farther afield and venturing into foreign lands, incorporating it into every travel destination I can get to, be it Erie, Pennsylvania or Taipei, Taiwan. Those of us in suburbia need to break out of the roast chicken, barbequed ribs, pork chop mentality and spice up our kitchens with the food of the world. We need to leave the canned veggies, packaged cookies, and oversweet jams on the shelves, and dig into the garden and flour bag and treat our families and ourselves to something better. As I continue to learn, I will share, and maybe someone will take the step towards a tagine or a brulee, and know that it doesn’t have to be complicated, and that the end result speaks for itself.